The 1970s was a time of cultural trends, political upheaval, economic challenges, social change, and much more. The Vietnam War ended, President Nixon resigned after the Watergate scandal, inflation was high, and feminist and gay rights movements were growing. There was change everywhere, even in what people ate. Food trends gave us many classic recipes from the ’70s everyone still loves today.
Many classic recipes that may come to mind for some of us are fad foods like ambrosia salad, interesting concepts that were more puzzling and inexplicable than mouthwatering and irresistible. Other dishes were a great addition, in part because of their convenience, which is why they remain crowd favorites.
To compile this list, we focused on foods more popular in the ’70s than now. Quiche and fondue may still be enjoyed today, but fondue parties aren’t quite as popular as they once were. We also skipped more popular foods then than today. While deviled eggs raged in the ’70s and are newly chic, staples like fajitas and tiramisu remain common. (Don’t forget to check out the biggest hits of the ’70s.)
Quiche
Whether it’s ham & cheese quiche, quiche Lorraine, or spinach quiche, the French custard tart (made with filling a pastry crust with cream, eggs, and other ingredients) was everywhere in the ‘70s, especially at another meal that came into its own during the decade – brunch. And because it could also be made in two-bite versions, quiche was also a great hors d’oeuvre at parties.
Pasta Primavera
Pasta Primavera – a dish made by combining a long pasta like spaghetti or linguini with a light cream sauce and fresh vegetables – first appeared on the menu at New York’s renowned restaurant Le Cirque in the mid-1970s.
In 1977 it (along with the recipe) was featured in the New York Times by Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey, who called it “by far, the most talked-about dish in Manhattan.” From there, it caught on like wildfire and became one of the decade’s defining dishes.
Swedish Meatballs
These little meatballs, made with ground beef and pork and served in a cream sauce along with lingonberry preserves on the side, were a signature party staple of the decade. If you decide to serve these at your own Disco party, be sure to stick little toothpicks in each one.
Fondue
One of life’s great indulgences, fondue is a gooey, bubbly pot of melted Swiss cheeses flavored with white wine and a bit of cherry brandy. If one of these appears at a party nowadays, you can rest assured that it’ll be gone in a flash.
Cheese Balls or Logs
Whether in the shape of a ball or log, these crowd-pleasers were a staple at parties and family gatherings throughout the ’70s, and plenty of families have their own recipes, even today.
There are countless variations, but one classic recipe combines cream cheese, blue cheese, shredded cheddar, diced pickles, and onions, which is rolled into a ball, rolled in chopped pecans, and served with Ritz crackers on the side.
Salad with Green Goddess Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing was invented in the 1920s, but it didn’t explode in popularity until the early 1970s when Seven Seas released the first bottled version. It’s made with mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, and herbs including tarragon, chervil, and chives, which give it its signature green tint.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Anything Hawaiian or Polynesian-inspired was popular in the ’70s, and pineapple upside-down cake combined the most obvious ingredient of this trend – pineapple – with another trend – convenience.
The cake could be made by simply pouring boxed cake batter on top of pineapple rings and serving it upside-down so the pineapple rings are on top. For the full effect, make sure to include some maraschino cherries.
Pineapple Chicken
Another Hawaiian-inspired popular ‘70s dish is pineapple chicken, which combines chunks of pineapple and chicken in a sweet and sour sauce. Extra points if it’s served inside a pineapple.
Carrot Cake
Carrot cake began to catch on in popularity after World War II, but it really hit critical mass in the 1970s. The batter is loaded with freshly grated carrots along with optional raisins and/or walnuts, and the most traditional versions have cream cheese frosting.
Watergate Cake
For one reason or another, several popular ’70s foods were named after the Watergate scandal, perhaps because it was such a watershed historical moment that there was no way it couldn’t seep into every aspect of pop culture.
Watergate cake contains white cake mix, pistachio pudding (which sparked a bit of a craze when it was introduced by Jell-O in 1976), crushed pineapple, marshmallows, nuts, whipped cream, and green food coloring, and it’s “covered up” with frosting (ha). A similar Watergate Salad contains nearly identical ingredients, minus the cake mix.
Jello Salad
One of those foods that just screams “retro,” Jello salads caught on in popularity in the 1960s and remained a mainstay into the ‘70s. There are countless variations, but they all include gelatin (usually flavored Jell-O), along with nuts and vegetables, and sometimes even mayonnaise or salad dressing.
This is one of those foods we’re glad has largely gone the way of the Dodo.
Devils on Horseback
Another perfect crowd-pleasing party snack, devils on horseback are bacon-wrapped dates, usually with an almond in the center. They’re sweet and savory, and we wish we saw them more often.
Cherries Jubilee
A popular retro dessert, Cherries Jubilee is made by topping vanilla ice cream with a sauce made of cherries and liqueur that’s flambéed tableside – another hot ‘70s restaurant trend.
This dish was actually invented in 1897 by renowned chef Auguste Escoffier in honor of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, but it was certainly in vogue 80 years later.
Crêpes Suzette
Popular for both brunch and dessert, Crêpes Suzette is made by sauteeing thin French crêpes in a sweet sauce made with sugar, butter, orange juice, and orange liqueur. It was also invented in the 1800s, and, of course, it’s also flambéed tableside.
Crab Rangoon
Now largely relegated to the appetizer section of middling Chinese restaurant menus, crab Rangoon had a real moment in the 1970s, when the Polynesian craze was still going strong.
They’re made by wrapping a combination of cream cheese, crab, onion, garlic, and perhaps other seasonings inside a wonton wrapper and deep frying them. Sweet and sour sauce is usually served on the side.
Unfortunately, they’re usually made with imitation crab, one of several foods we wish were banned.
